THE SERIES IS COMING (FINALLY!..) TO ITS MATURITY!
At the beginning of the story, we are in 15 AD, we find Caius Julius Arminius (17 BC – 21), still crowned with victory over the Roman legions at the “Battle of Teutoburg” (9 AD) (1), take delivery of weapons sent to him by Morphea, in exchange for the release of his grandson (and son of Marcus Falco), Titus.
Arminius, however, betrays his agreement and seizes the weapons, which he wants to use to unite, once again, the different tribes of Germany to fight Rome. Indeed, the Roman legions, now led by Caius Julius Caesar, known as “Germanicus” (15 BC -19), are ravaging the lands beyond the Rhine, in search of the three ” Eagles of Rome”, which the Germanic tribes seized precisely after the “Battle of Teutoburg” (the last of the three emblematic eagles was only recovered by the Romans in 41 AD).
Meanwhile, Caius Julius Wisdom seizes his daughter Thusnelda (10 BC – 17), the wife of Arminius and pregnant by him. He was in fact always opposed to their marriage and above all became a citizen of Rome and an ally of the Romans. The town of Sageste is then besieged by the supporters of Arminius, Germanicus then sends Marcus Falco to his aid…
Ah, finally, finally – after eight years of waiting – I finally found “my” Enrico MARINI (*1969)! Yes, yes you read correctly, eight years! -, since I don’t count the volume of the adventures of our hero Marcus released last year, which, in addition to a “transition” episode, told nothing, about nothing and with nothing, and which was real rubbish in terms of drawings!
It therefore took eight years for Mr. MARINI to tell us and above all finally show us what we wanted to see, namely a good story, with a good solid scenario, and above all served by drawings worthy of the talent of the Italian designer. ! Here I was truly “served”, since I finished reading this comic saying to myself: “Whouaah”? what a comic!..
The scenario? Linear, good, inventive, original and above all not looking at other scenarios and especially not that of films telling us about the same era! There is breath, breadth, development, and finally a good psychological depth of the characters. And above all, he doesn’t embroider around anything and everything, but just follows the story as it really happened!
If the colors are still as beautiful (look at the sober smoky blues on p. 28/30, to represent the night!..), what we will especially remember about this volume VII of this series are the drawings, which are finally (finally!..) up to par with the previous episodes! The boards are really a pleasure to read. The cutting is original (look at p. 45/49), but the drawings are superb. There is nothing else to say. They are beautiful, precise, detailed, well finished, very clean! Look at the battle drawn in these same pages… You will tell me the news! Afterwards, – I know that I have already said this for other comics -, and that I am perhaps “fixated” on this detail, but once again, there is no point in drawing scars on Marcus’ face, if they change direction, length, and location from one box to another!..
What more can I say? We will have understood, but after eight long years of waiting to find the series “The Eagles of Rome”, you finally have a happy reader who is writing you this review. Other than that, I don’t have anything else to say. The answer to all your questions is in this comic!
Do I recommend reading this comic? Yes! It’s even a frank and massive yes! This comic (after the previous volume which is really to be forgotten!..) really reconciled me with this series, and I have no doubt that this will also be the case for you… I also appreciated the fact that this volume “ finally picks up with the real course of history, unfortunately I can’t tell you more, without revealing the storyline of the comic strip… So I only have one piece of advice to give you, don’t hesitate and go for it !
(1). : Cf. Volume V of this same series, review here on CL: https://critiqueslibres.com/i.php/vcrit/49437
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